Blog / Vlog

Latest from my post on Darn Good Yarn . Com -- This was written to accompany my Double PomPom hat pattern that has been published on Darn Good Yarn!

This hat has a lot of story attached to it… but before I dive in, I want to introduce myself! My name is Erin, and I love making things. Like most creative people, I love sharing this gift with the world, and seeing the smiles and joy it brings others. I also love making things because it is where I feel most at home. Time shifts when I am creating. Finding that thing that makes time slip by effortlessly is a gift I hope everyone feels in their lives.

I run an Etsy shop, and share my creations via Radiant Fibers, which you can find on Instagram and Twitter as @Radiant_Fibers, or you can find me at radiantfibers.com. The name took some thought. I wanted something that felt like my personality; shiny, bright, confident, empowering, and that represented more than just yarn… Radiant Fibers. Like the fibers we’re all made up of, we’re radiant through ever part of our beings, and the things we create from the fibers of our natural world reflect that inner beauty.

Getting to the story behind the hat… After moving to Colorado almost three years ago, I struggled. Moving was difficult for me but I found my footing and kept going, building Radiant Fibers and establishing connections with other artists in the area. One such friend and mentor is another Erin. AOuladance instructor, self-employed artist and photographer and all around amazing person. Erin has helped me in so many ways, including the photography for this pattern!

We went to scope out a local ice cream shop, Sweet Cooies, because their décor and lighting is to die for. We had so much fun with this shoot, and it represents a lot of growth for me as a person, crocheter, artist and entrepreneur.

The fact that this hat is made with Darn Good Yarn just takes it to a whole other level! The banana fiber is eco-friendly (I was an environmental sustainability major at university), it’s soft and beautifully shiny and unique (pleasing my adoration ofinteresting textures) and it’s hand spun by women’s coops in India (giving back and doing good). Plus the wool is sustainable too, a beautiful warm toned grey, and it’s also hand spun. Knowing where your materials come from makes a huge difference for the finished product – it changes the vibe. It’s tangible.

I found Darn Good Yarn online years ago, and have loved their yarns ever since. Growing Radiant Fibers has been mostly focused on Instagram, and I share lots of my work there. After posting some creations made with Darn Good Yarn, they reached out to work with me on a pattern. I jumped at the chance, excited to work with a company I so admire.

The idea to put two pompoms on top came from my fiancé’s younger sister, who wanted a hat made just for her with two pompoms (because she loves pandas). I couldn’t have made this piece without so much input from those around me – and it wouldn’t have come to fruition without my drive to keep going. And the connections wouldn’t have been made without the magic of social media and the internet. This is the beauty of the creative landscape today. ​We support one another, our distance shortened by screens. Artists to artists, creative to creative. We see what others do not; our eyes trained to pick up on potential. Opportunity in otherwise discarded material. Gifts in our own simple yet complex hands. Skills we’ve learned and can share and honor with our projects. We have the vision for the future. This is why I love Darn Good Yarn. It reminds me that there is so much story to be told in our materials. More heart to the small business we support. And that love is truly woven into the fabric of our lives. ​